Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02934757 2016-06-30
MEDICAL VIAL CAP
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present disclosure relates to caps and crowns for medical vials and other
containers, and in particular, to a manual pull-to-open vial cap.
BACKGROUND
Fluid medicines are often stored in vials for dispensing with a syringe. A
common
type of vial is the open circle lens vial. This type of vial is familiar to
anyone who has gotten
a shot at the doctor's office, and typically has a thin metal top cover which
protects a
pierceable membrane that is sealed to the rim of the vial. Some modern vial
covers have a
plastic frame that rotates around the vial rim to align with a marking on the
vial to indicate it
is in proper opening position. The plastic frame then facilitates opening the
metal cover that
is attached to the frame. When the frame is pried up, the metal cover tears
open across the
top and down the side of the vial, the thin metal then breaks into two or more
segments along
the rim of the vial for easy removal of the frame and the metal cover to
expose the membrane
to be pierced by a syringe.
The problems with the standard open circle lens vials described above include
the
requirement to align markings on the plastic frame and the vial prior to
opening and the
creation of sharps by the metal segments of the cover.
Aligning markings can be difficult if the ambient lighting is poor or if the
nurse has
poor eyesight. Even when markings are aligned, the frame may not lifted up as
expected if
the tolerance for the markings is too strict so that one has to experiment
through trial and
error to make the alignment work. If the tolerances for the alignment are too
loose, it defeats
the purpose of aligning the markings in the first place.
Hospitals and doctors' offices are always conscious of sharps such as needles
and
have protocols and equipment to isolate and dispose of sharps. This is
particularly a concern
if patients are in the area where there are sharps. It is, therefore, in the
interest of medical
professionals to reduce the number of sharps in their practice.
There is a need, therefore, for a medical vial cap that is easy to open
manually, does
not require alignment yet is safe, and which reduces sharps. To provide these
advantages,
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certain features of the bottle crown described in the patents and patent
applications related to
this application have been adapted here to medical vial caps, in particular
the opener
assembly and the score lines, which advantageously allow a medial vial cap to
be opened in a
manner comparable to the beverage bottle cap previously described.
SUMMARY
A crown, for a medical vial opening, has a top portion and a skirt surrounding
the top
portion. The skirt terminates at a lower edge defined in a first horizontal
plane. An opener
assembly is mounted to a portion of the top. A first scoring line extends from
the portion of
the top to which the opener assembly is mounted to the lower edge of the skirt
in a
continuous radial direction, and a second scoring line provides an upper
radial segment
extending from the opener assembly to the skirt along a radial axis, and a
lower annular
segment that extends circumferentially along the skirt in an annular direction
and extending
from a terminus of the upper radial segment, the lower annular segment defined
in a second
horizontal plane equidistant to the first horizontal plane associated with the
lower edge of the
skirt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The detailed description that follows, by way of non-limiting examples of
embodiments, makes reference to the noted drawings in which reference numerals
represent
the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and in which:
Figure 1 is a isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary
embodiment of a medical vial cap of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of an alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of an alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 1 having an opener assembly.
Figure 4 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of the alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 3, partially opened.
Figure 5 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of an alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 4, opened.
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Figure 6 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of another
alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 4, opened.
Figure 7 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of another
alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 3.
Figure 8 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of the alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 7, partially opened.
Figure 9 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of the alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 8.
Figure 10 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of the
alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 8 with the cover off
Figure 11 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of an
alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 3.
Figure 12 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of another
alternative embodiment of the cap of Fig. 3.
Figure 13 is a top view diagrammatic illustration of an alternative embodiment
of a
medical vial cap of the present disclosure depicting alternative optional
score lines and an off
center attachment position for an opener assembly.
Figure 14 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of a score
line
profile for a medical vial cap of the present disclosure.
Figure 15 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of an
alternative
score line profile for a medical vial cap of the present disclosure.
Figure 16 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of another
alternative score line profile for a medical vial cap of the present
disclosure.
Figure 17 is an isometric top view of an alternative embodiment of an unopened
medical vial cap of the present disclosure.
Figure 18 is an isometric top view of an opened medical vial cap of Fig. 17.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In view of the foregoing, through one or more vanous aspects, embodiments
and/or
specific features or sub-components, the present disclosure is thus intended
to bring out one
or more of the advantages that will be evident from the description. The
present disclosure
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makes reference to one or more specific embodiments by way of illustration and
example. It
is understood, therefore, that the terminology, examples, drawings and
embodiments are
illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The
terms "crown" and
"cap" may be used interchangeably in the description that follows.
Figure 1 is a isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary
embodiment of a medical vial cap of the present disclosure. Frangible score
lines 6d extend
in a straight line from opener assembly attachment position 15 to the edge 7
of the cap 1.
Dimples 101, 102 are positioned on the top of cap 1 so as to secure an opener
assembly in
position by inhibiting rotation of the opener assembly around attachment
position 15.
Figure 2 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of an alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 1. Score line 6e traces a continuous path from
edge 7 around
opener assembly position 15, between position 15 and dimples 101,102, and back
to a
different position on edge 7. Fig. 2 depicts an alternative embodiment of
score line 6e in
which the score line curves to intersect edge 7.
Figure 3 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of an alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 1 having an opener assembly. The opener assembly
has pull
tab ring 2, pull tab 3 and an attachment means to attach the assembly to cap
1, such as a rivet.
In yet another alternative embodiment of the score lines, score line 6e
descends below the top
310 of cap 1 and curves to form score line 6e, which traverse along the side
320 substantially
equidistant from top 310 and edge 7.
Figure 4 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of the alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 3, partially opened. Pull tab ring 2 is a least
partially
deformable so that it can be lifted for a finger to fit into the ring. Pulling
pull tab ring 2
causes frangible cap 1 to tear open along score lines 6d, 6e and creating
opening 15a beneath
pull tab 3. Specific exemplary embodiments provide recessed depression 18 in
crown 1 to
house the opener assembly so that, in the unopened position, pull tab ring 2
is substantially
flush with the top of cap 1. Score line 6d terminates in a straight line at
terminus 16a.
Figure 5 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of an alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 4, opened. Further along in the opening sequence
begun in
Fig. 4, frangible cap 1 is cracked open at score line 6d but portion 520
remains pivotally
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attached to crown 1 at joint 510. In the embodiment of Fig. 5, terminus 16a
forms a
substantially right angle point.
Figure 6 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of another
alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 4, opened. At the same point in the opening
sequence as Fig.
5, the alternative embodiment of Fig. 6 provides terminus 16b which is curved
to reduce
sharps.
Figure 7 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of another
alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 3. The opener assembly is attached to cap 1 with
rivet 4 and is
positioned off-center. Score lines 706a, 706b do not extend from the
attachment position to
side 320, but instead terminate before reaching pull tab ring 2. Seam 710
circumscribes the
circumference of cap 1 around the opener assembly to form cover 750.
Figure 8 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of the alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 7, partially opened. The opener assembly lifts
away from cap
1 by means of tab portion 720 creating opening 730. Cover 750 protects
membrane 740,
which is exposed upon opening.
Figure 9 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of the alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 8. Further along in the opening sequence of Fig.
8, more of
membrane 740 is exposed and cover 750 remains pivotally attached to cap 1.
Figure 10 is an isometric top view diagrammatic illustration of the
alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 8 with the cover off. Cover 750 is completely
removed from
cap 1, fully exposing membrane 740 for access by a syringe, for example.
Figure 11 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of an
alternative
embodiment of the cap of Fig. 3. Divot 10 provides a fingernail access recess
to facilitate
grasping pull tab ring 2.
Figure 12 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of another
alternative embodiment of the cap of Fig. 3. In an alternative embodiment to
facilitate
grasping pull tab ring 2, ring 2 is provide with fingernail recess 11.
Figure 13 is a top view diagrammatic illustration of an alternative embodiment
of a
medical vial cap of the present disclosure depicting alternative optional
score lines and an off
center attachment position for an opener assembly. Opener assembly attachment
position 15
is off-center, almost to side 320. A variety of optional score line
arrangements are
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represented by dashed lines 6g, 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d. From 6d to 6g, the scores
lines diverge at
a wider angle. Dimples 101, 102 serve the same purpose as described above for
Fig. 1.
Score line 6g traverses around opener assembly attachment position 15, between
position 15
and dimples 101, 102.
Figure 14 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of a score
line
profile for an alternative exemplary embodiment of a medical vial cap of the
present
disclosure. The score line cross-sectional profile in Fig. 14 has a
substantially square or
rectangular shape.
Figure 15 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of an
alternative
score line profile for a medical vial cap of the present disclosure. The score
line cross-
sectional profile in Fig. 14 has a substantially arcuate or curved shape.
Figure 16 is a side cross-sectional view diagrammatic illustration of another
alternative score line profile for a medical vial cap of the present
disclosure. The score line
cross-sectional profile in Fig. 14 has a substantially v- shaped shape.
The reason score line 6 of Figs 24A and 24B is advantageous is that is reduces
the
sharps produced by tearing open crown 1 with the opener assembly. Round tear
edges 6M
and 6N render the opened crown dramatically less dangerous from sharps than
would
otherwise be the case.
Further regarding score line 6, one consideration of a crown of the present
disclosure
is the ease with which the material of crown 1 can be torn once opened by the
opener
assembly. The ease of tearing relates to the amount of pull force that needs
to be applied to
tear the crown material. Pulling force may be reduced, that is, ease of
tearing may be
increased, with the use of crown coatings or lacquers known in the art that
contain additives
which increase the ease of tearing, by reducing the required pull force, of
the crown 1
material along line 6.
Figure 17 is an isometric top view of an alternative embodiment of an unopened
medical vial cap of the present disclosure. Figure 18 is an isometric top view
of an opened
medical vial cap of Fig. 17. Figures 17 and 18 will be described together. Cap
1 provides
pull tab ring 2, as described above for other embodiments. However, in the
embodiment of
Fig. 17, pull tab ring 2 is attached to flap hinge 172 and to plug 174, which
has a top portion,
shown in Fig. 17, and a bottom portion 176, shown in Fig 18. The top portion
of plug 174
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and bottom portion 176 form an annular receiving groove 182. Pull tab ring 2
fits snugly into
groove 182 so that when pull tab ring 2 is pulled upward, plug 174 is released
from the top of
cap 1, pivoting on flap hinge 172, to open the cap. Pull tab ring 2, plug 174
and flap hinge
172 form an opener assembly for cap 1.
To facilitate operation of pull tab ring 2, a portion 180 of cap 1 is recessed
or
depressed to accommodate a human finger nail. Portion 180 makes it easier to
access pull
tab ring 2 with a fingernail to operate the opener assembly.
Alternative embodiments of the opener assembly of Figs 17 and 18 provide a
plug
174 that is integral with pull tab ring 2.
Although not designed exclusively for such applications, the present vial cap
is
particularly useful for single use vials. Scored glass vials are in common
usage for single
uses but they have an inherent risk of shattering and causing lacerations. The
present cap
reduces such risks substantially.
A pulling force for a pull ring of the present disclosure of approximately 2.5
kg
(kilograms) or less is preferred. A relatively small pull force such as this
is recommended so
that virtually everyone will have sufficient strength to open a bottle using a
crown of the
present disclosure. In contrast, a relatively large pull force has the
disadvantage of requiring
a great amount of initial force to tear the tinplate material, and once the
cap material is torn
open the sudden release of pulling force causes the bottle to jerk away from
the user, spilling
the contents often in dramatic fashion.
In addition to the low hardness of the crown material, the thinness or gauge
of the
crown may also contribute to achieving a small pull force. For example, a
crown of the
present invention is recommended to have a thickness of less than 0.28 mm.
Embodiments
in which the crown material is strengthened by corrugation, such as in seated
embodiments
of Figs 3, 17, and 18, may be thinner than standard crowns, having, for
example, a gauge as
thin as approximately 0.16mm.
The illustrations of embodiments described herein are intended to provide a
general
understanding of the structure of various embodiments, and they are not
intended to serve as
a complete description of all the elements and features of apparatus and
systems that might
make use of the structures described herein. Many other embodiments will be
apparent to
those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Other
embodiments may be
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utilized and derived therefrom, such that structural, materials, and logical
substitutions and
changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
Figures are
merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions
thereof may be
exaggerated, while others may be minimized. Accordingly, the specification and
drawings
are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein,
individually and/or collectively, by the term "invention" merely for
convenience and without
intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single
invention or inventive
concept if more than one is in fact disclosed. Thus, although specific
embodiments have
been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any
arrangement
calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific
embodiments
shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or
variations of various
embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not
specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art
upon reviewing the
above description.
. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that
various
features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of
streamlining the
disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting
an intention that
the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in
each claim.
Rather, as the claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all
features of a single
disclosed embodiment.
The description has made reference to several exemplary embodiments. It is
understood, however, that the words that have been used are words of
description and
illustration, rather than words of limitation. The scope of the claims should
not be limited by
the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the
broadest
purposive construction consistent with the description as a whole. Although
the description
makes reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the disclosure
is not
intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed; rather, the disclosure
extends to all
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functionally equivalent technologies, structures, methods and uses such as are
within the
scope of the appended claims.
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